I have a budget of 2.5k, which i believe is enough for either screen (at av-sales). i would like to add a scaler at a later date, when funds allow, so given the above info, which screen will give me the best results, based upon... pq, potential connectivity, compatibility with upcoming services and value for money?

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I've been faced with this decision myself. They're both a lot of money, though it is money I am happy to invest, but to do so it really has to be on a display I'm going to have the greatest degree of control over.

As such, it's looking to be the HD8 that suits my desires. I'll get a good demo of the Pioneer regardless, but it's that inability to circumnavigate the media box that I find to be a put off as attractive a set as the 436 looks. Not that a scaler into it's HDMI port won't yield improvements, but again, if I am going to spend a further £1400 on a Lumagen HDP then I'd much rather have a panel that can get as much as possible out of such an additional device too.

Would anyone steer me in the right direction regarding whether I should be looking to connect the scaler to the display via component or DVI/HDMI? I ask because it's been noted the Panasonic's don't like 1:1 mapping at 50hz via a digital connection and I'd rather do without frame rate conversion.

Personally I think the Pioneer's are the best looking plasma available (as in styled, not PQ) but the Panny panels look pretty sexy hung on the wall as well. It is just that I feel the Panny bezel looks a bit cheaper and the Panasonic logo reminds me of the old Technics logo.

When I bought my Fuji 50 I kept hassling poor Joe until I was happy the logo wasn't the ES version (a flattened, tacky, plastic oval) so I can be a bit fussy.

On the face of it does like the Panny panel would be the best bet for you but until we have more info on how they both perform and until you see them with your own eyes (Plasma PQ is incredibly subjective and personal) I would hold fire.
Also, I know you said you wanted to add a scaler at a later date but depending on how much later you may be better buying a new panel by then.

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I am currently awaiting my new PHD8 and have already got a Lumagen HDP to connect to it. Whether 1:1 mapping via DVI is possible remains to be seen - from the specs it looks unlikely.

You can throw most analogue inputs into the PHD7 without any problem, and it is likely that the PHD8 will be the same, but HDCP has to be considered. The upcoming Sky HD box will apparently have component outputs, so HDCP isn't an issue in the short term, but longer term who knows?

The 436 range is interesting to me as an ISF calibrator. At last one of the major players has woken up to ISF. Included out of the box are two menus - ISF day and ISF night- out of the box, except that you have to get an ISF technician to activate them! To access these modes (an addition to user, dynamic, cinema, normal etc.) the calibrator needs special software to get into the menus. I've got it and am yearning to use it!

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I am currently awaiting my new PHD8 and have already got a Lumagen HDP to connect to it. Whether 1:1 mapping via DVI is possible remains to be seen - from the specs it looks unlikely.

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Piers, which DVI board are you looking at? Is it the generation 6 DVI board or is there a newer generation 8 DVI board? I see there is a generation 8 HDMI board, but I guess due it has restricted resolution support as I'm presuming it's aimed at being used from SKY or DVD @ 720p/1080i rather than a DVI that is also likely to be driven from a PC and so may offer a more flexible solution?

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Angry, I am currently awaiting my new PHD8 and have already got a Lumagen HDP to connect to it. Whether 1:1 mapping via DVI is possible remains to be seen - from the specs it looks unlikely.

You can throw most analogue inputs into the PHD7 without any problem, and it is likely that the PHD8 will be the same, but HDCP has to be considered. The upcoming Sky HD box will apparently have component outputs, so HDCP isn't an issue in the short term, but longer term who knows?

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Thank you, Piers.

Can the Lumagen be set to output different resolutions per refresh rate? I don't watch masses of 50hz material I must admit. Not fond of the speedup on films and slowdown on computer games and Sky HD isn't of much appeal to me. The only region2 DVD material I own is a selection of British television shows. If I used DVI into the plasma could the Lumagen be set to do 1:1 on 60hz material, and maybe send something like 1280x720 for 50hz? I might be interested in feeding it 48hz for film viewing, which I'd also imagine may be restricted to analogue input only.

The 436 range is interesting to me as an ISF calibrator. At last one of the major players has woken up to ISF. Included out of the box are two menus - ISF day and ISF night- out of the box, except that you have to get an ISF technician to activate them! To access these modes (an addition to user, dynamic, cinema, normal etc.) the calibrator needs special software to get into the menus. I've got it and am yearning to use it!

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Yes the ISF features of the new Pioneer's are certainly very interesting. What seems somewhat silly however is the trouble they've gone to in making it so ISF friendly, yet not offering a way to disable internal processing of the media box or accepting the panel's native resolution via any input. I say this only having gone through the manual for the 436/506 is which available on Pioneer's website - whether in practice all the above can be achieved I don't know (it would be wonderful if the option to disable internal processing was available only via the ISF menus). If it could it might certainly put the 436 back in the running as an option for me.

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It's the HDMI board that I am getting as I don't need computer resolutions but very definitely do need 720p@50Hz and 1080i@50Hz.

Angry,

The Lumagen can indeed be set to output different resolutions per refresh rate. Until I get hold of a PHD8 I don't want to speculate on whether 1:1 will work.

The ISF modes on the new Pioneer are merely two more "picture modes". Even with the appropriate software I don't get access to any additional menus for picture settings (so this is not the answer to disabling features of the media box) - but I am able to activate those two new memories and store calibrated settings into them.